Black Myth: Starting from the Destined One
Chapter 238 - 189: The Promise with Zixia!_2

Chapter 238: Chapter 189: The Promise with Zixia!_2

On his way back to the True Buddha Temple, Li Ping’an’s stomach was growling with hunger. He had planned to save money by eating the vegetarian meal at the monastery, but the blandness of that food was like water, and he couldn’t swallow it. So he found a tavern, bought some wine and meat, and upon returning to the True Buddha Temple, he had a hearty meal with Mahaparinirvana, the Monk Who Broke Precepts. Now that both of them had the backing of the Emperor Tathagata Dragon Tree Divine Monk, no one dared to criticize them!

...

Chang’an City, Cen Residence.

Housekeeper Cen San hurriedly came to report:

"Master, there’s news from The Night Traveler’s Bureau!"

Cen Wenjin personally rushed out of the main hall, came up to housekeeper Cen San, and urgently inquired:

"What did The Night Traveler’s Bureau say? Have they captured Li Ping’an?"

"Master, please don’t get angry when I tell you this."

With that preamble, housekeeper Cen San cautiously continued, attentively observing Cen Wenjin’s expression:

"I didn’t see Chief Yang Kun, Lord Yang... at all."

Cen Wenjin immediately understood the situation and suppressed the rage boiling inside him,

"Continue..."

Only then did housekeeper Cen San explain the full story:

"Master, that scoundrel Yang Kun wouldn’t even meet with me. He only had his subordinates tell me to wait a few more days; they promised to give us an explanation in a few days..."

"I knew it! That gluttonous Pixiu, Yang Kun, was sure to play me for a fool!"

Cen Wenjin, pointing at The Night Traveler’s Bureau, cursed vehemently:

"Good thing I didn’t trust that beast, Yang Kun, last night! Otherwise, I would have lost fifteen million taels of silver for nothing!"

"..."

Housekeeper Cen San dared not speak, only shrinking back quietly by the side.

"With things as they are, we can only follow the second plan we devised last night!"

Cen Wenjin ordered housekeeper Cen San:

"Take this letter and go to Flame Cloud Taoist Temple, find that old man Zhuge Junchen, and by any means necessary, make him agree to kill Li Ping’an for me!"

"Yes, Master!"

Housekeeper Cen San once again set off at a gallop towards the Flame Cloud Taoist Temple.

As soon as housekeeper Cen San departed, Cen Wenjin was filled with both fury and sorrow. He immediately rushed to the entrance of the main hall, grabbed a mourning stick by the door, and started lashing one of the family nephews who was mourning for Cen Fuda dressed in mourning clothes:

"Cry louder! Cry louder, will you! Didn’t I pay you?"

The nephew immediately began to wail loudly in front of Cen Fuda’s spirit tablet, and Cen Wenjin, standing in front of Cen Fuda’s portrait, clenched his teeth and swore:

"My son, your father will avenge you! If the Flame Cloud Sect won’t lift a finger as well, then I’ll have the Prefect of Chang’an fabricate a charge against Li Ping’an!"

"In short, as long as Li Ping’an lives, I swear I will not rest!"

...

Chang’an City, Flame Cloud Taoist Temple.

Usually calm, Sect Master Zhuge Junchen of the Flame Cloud Sect completely lacked the bearing of a master; on the contrary, he was pacing back and forth impatiently with hands clasped behind his back, glaring and fuming. None of his disciples dared to speak, all keeping their heads down, waiting anxiously for their fellow disciples to bring back news about Pei Yuanjing.

"Master! Disciple has returned!"

A disciple of the Flame Cloud Sect ran in and then knelt before Sect Master Zhuge Junchen:

"Master, your disciple has gathered information!"

"Good! Good! Well done!"

Sect Master Zhuge Junchen immediately calmed down, took a sip of tea, and then solemnly sat on the dais, gazing down leisurely at the disciple and asked:

"Where is Pei Yuanjing now?"

"Your disciple has not uncovered any information about the junior uncle!"

"What? You still haven’t found out? And you had the audacity to come back?"

The previously composed Sect Master Zhuge Junchen instantly became irate again, his eyes darting around, searching for something to smash.

The Eldest Senior Brother of the Qingyun Sect immediately advised:

"Master, don’t be hasty, let the junior brother finish before you mete out any punishment!"

"..."

Sect Master Zhuge Junchen took a deep breath, striving to suppress the anger in his heart, calmed himself for quite some time and then cursed:

"You beast, speak up already!"

"Yes, Master!"

Only then did the disciple carefully recount the news he had gathered, which was the story of Xie Wenren and Mahaparinirvana, the Monk Who Broke Precepts, a disciple of the Emperor Tathagata Dragon Tree Divine Monk, and how Li Ping’an fought and killed them the day before, as well as the fact that the person who came looking for Pei Yuanjing yesterday was Cen San, the steward of the Cen Residence.

"Mahaparinirvana, the Monk Who Broke Precepts, a disciple of the Emperor Tathagata Dragon Tree Divine Monk? Li Ping’an?"

Patriarch of Flame Cloud Sect, Zhuge Junchen, said in surprise:

"So, the one who defeated Xie Wenren was a disciple of the Emperor Tathagata Dragon Tree Divine Monk. Then his loss is not undeserved, nor is it a disgrace. However, just who is this Li Ping’an?"

Patriarch Zhuge Junchen of the Flame Cloud Sect turned to look at his disciples with curiosity:

"Could it be that this Li Ping’an is the same one who represented Mount Longhu at the Grand Ritual of the Heavenly Master today?"

The kneeling disciple confirmed:

"There’s no mistake, the Emperor Tathagata Dragon Tree Divine Monk has recently taken only one disciple, and that is Mahaparinirvana. And that Li Ping’an is certainly not the disciple of the Emperor Tathagata Dragon Tree Divine Monk! It is said that Li Ping’an only managed to defeat Xie Wenren with the help of Mahaparinirvana!"

"We must not seek trouble with Mahaparinirvana; we have to give face to the Emperor Tathagata Dragon Tree Divine Monk!"

The Eldest Senior Brother of Qingyun Sect, knowing that no one in the world would dare to provoke the Three Great Buddha Heads and that even the Four Great Noble Paths combined were not their equal, said to save face for his master:

"That fool Xie Wenren, acting arbitrarily on behalf of that dog Cen Fuda who publicly commits adultery with women, deserved to be defeated. It’s better than letting the world say our Qingyun Sect abets tyranny. Instead, it would have spoiled the reputation of our Flame Cloud Sect!"

"That’s right."

Therefore, Sect Master Zhuge Junchen of the Flame Cloud Sect stopped mentioning the Emperor Tathagata Dragon Tree Divine Monk and Mahaparinirvana and instead focused on Li Ping’an’s faults:

"Then, what should be done with this Li Ping’an?"

The third senior brother of the Flame Cloud Sect immediately suggested:

"Master, I will certainly challenge Li Ping’an by name and surname tomorrow. Even if it’s against the rules, I will disable him publicly!"

The second senior brother of the Flame Cloud Sect expressed concern:

"Third junior brother, considering the kind of disciples cultivated by Mount Longhu, could he make it into the top four of the fourth group? Hmm?"

"Exactly, exactly."

The eldest senior brother of the Flame Cloud Sect also chimed in:

"He escaped unscathed today, not making a fool of himself; that’s all due to good luck. But will his luck still hold tomorrow? I bet he will lose in the first round tomorrow!"

"That’s also true..."

After hearing this, the third senior brother of the Flame Cloud Sect just blinked his eyes at Sect Master Zhuge Junchen of the Flame Cloud Sect, waiting for his decision.

"This really puts your master in a difficult position!"

Sect Master Zhuge Junchen of the Flame Cloud Sect, stroking his beard, said with difficulty:

"If we go looking for Li Ping’an to seek revenge, firstly, it would be disgraceful, and secondly, other Taoist sects might accuse us of bullying the weak. However, if we don’t seek revenge ... as for Xie Wenren’s matter ..."

"Enough!"

Sect Master Zhuge Junchen of the Flame Cloud Sect finally decided against the consensus:

"Let’s temporarily spare that Cultivator Li Ping’an of Mount Longhu. If that waste Xie Wenren can’t even beat someone from Mount Longhu, what’s the use of him? I hereby officially announce Xie Wenren is expelled from our sect! Should any of you see his disciples, pass the message on to them!"

All disciples flattered:

"Master is wise!"

"Now, the most important task is to find your little uncle!"

Sect Master Zhuge Junchen of the Flame Cloud Sect looked at the disciple kneeling on the ground and commanded:

"Deploy more people and ensure that Pei Yuanjing is found before dawn tomorrow!"

"Yes, Master!"

The disciple who was kneeling on the ground was about to rise and see to the matter, when suddenly another disciple came in, knelt down, and reported:

"Master, Cen Wenjin’s steward Cen San from the Ministry of Revenue, an old acquaintance of yours, asks to see you."

Without thinking, Sect Master Zhuge Junchen of the Flame Cloud Sect, already perturbed by Pei Yuanjing and Xie Wenren, waved his hand and said:

"Not seeing him!"

"Yes, Master!"

"Wait a moment."

Just as the disciple was about to go and convey the message, the second senior brother of Qingyun Sect, who was tactful and quick-witted, suddenly called out:

"Master, you have been confused by anger. Have you forgotten that last night your little uncle was called away by Cen San, the steward of the Cen Residence?"